Maolura. CXXX. URTICACE^. 509 



Section I. MOREJ3. 



Shrubs or trees with a milky juice. Fruit fleshy, composed of the 



fleshy calyx or receptacle. 



1. MORUS. 



Celtic mor, black ; the color of the fruit of some of the species. 



Flowers c? , rarely cf V — S" in loose spikes ; calyx 4-parted. 9 in 

 dense spikes ; calyx 4-parted ; styles 2 ; achenium compressed, en- 

 closed within the baccate calyx; spike constituting a compound 

 berry. — Trees icith alternate^ generally lobed leaves. Fls. inconspicuous. 



1. M. RUBRA. Bed Mulberry. 



Lvs. scabrous, pubescent beneath, rounded or subcordate at base, equally 

 serrate, acuminate, either ovate or 3-lobed ; fertile spikes cylindric ; fr. dark red. — 

 This tree varies greatly in height according to its situation. In New England, 

 where it is not very common, it is but a shrub 15 — 20f high. In the Middle 

 and Western States,' it attains the elevation of 50 — 60f, with a diameter of 2f. 

 Trunk covered with a grayish bark, much broken and furrowed. Wood fine- 

 grained, strong and durable. Leaves 4 — 6' long, | as wide, entire or divided 

 into lobes, thick, dark green. Flowers small. Berries of a deep red color, 

 compounded of a great number of small ones, of an agreeable acid flavor. 

 May. 



2. M. ALBA. White Mulberry. — Lvs. nearly glabrous, cordate and oblique at 

 base, unequally serrate, either undivided or lobed ; fr. whitish. — Native of Chi- 

 na. Cultivated for the sake of its leaves as the food of silk worms. A tree of 

 humble growth. Leaves 2 — 4' long, § as wide, acute, petiolate. Flowers green, 

 in small, roundish spikes or heads. Fruit of a yellowish- white, insipid. 



p. nmlticaulis. ( Chinese Mulberry.) Lvs. large (4 — 7' long, f as broad). — Shrub. 



3. M. NIGRA. Black Mulberry. — Lvs. scabrous, cordate, ovate or lobed, obtuse, 

 unequally serrate ; fertile spikes oval. — Native of Persia, cultivated for ornament 

 and shade, in this as well as in many other countries. Fruit dark red or black- 

 ish, of an aromatic, acid flavor. 



2. BROUSSONETIA. L'Her. 



In honor of P. N. V. Broussonet, a distinguished French naturalist. 



Flowers (^9. — S" Ament cylindric ; cal. 4-parted. 9 Ament glo 

 bose ; receptacle cylindric-clavate, compound ; cal. 3-4-toothed, tubu- 

 lar; ovaries becoming fleshy, clavate, prominent; sty. lateral; seed 1, 

 covered by the calyx. — Trees., from Japan. 



B. PAPYRiFERA. Paper Mulberry. — Lvs. of the younger tree, roundish- 

 ovate, acuminate, mostly undivided, "of the adult tree 3-lobed ; /r. hispid. — A 

 fine, hardy tree, occasionally cultivated. It is a low, bushy headed tree, with 

 large, light green, downy leaves, and dark red fruit a little larger than peas, 

 with long, purple hairs. 



3. MACLCTRA. Nutt. 



Dedicated to William Muclure, Esq., of the U. S., a distinguished geologist. 



Flowers c^9. — cf in amcnts. Calyx ; ova. numerous, coalescing 

 into a compound, globose fruit, of 1 -seeded, compressed, angular, cu- 

 neiform carpels ; sty. 1, filiform, villous. — A lactescent tree, with drcid- 

 uoufi, alternate.^ entire., ex-stiiwlatc leaves, and axillary spifies. 



M. AURANTiACA. Nutt. Osai^c Orani^e. 



A beauiil'ul tree, native on the banks of the Arkansas, &c. Leaves 4 — 5' 

 by li — 2i', glabrous and shining above, strongly veined and paler beneath, on 

 short petioles, ovate or ovatr-oblong, margin obscurely denticulate, ape.v suba- 

 cuminate, ratlier coriaceous. The IViiit is about the size of an orange, golden- 

 yellow when ripe, suspended by an axillary peduncle amid the dark glcs.sy 



